The UK Army launched an emergency parachute mission to deliver critical aid to a suspected Hantavirus patient on the South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha. One of the three British nationals diagnosed with suspected hantavirus connected to the outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship is currently on the island.
As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), he disembarked from the ship on April 14. Symptoms began with diarrhoea on April 28, followed by a fever on April 30. He is now isolating on the island and is in stable condition.
Six paratroopers and two military clinicians from the 16 Air Assault Brigade jumped from a Royal Air Force A400M transport aircraft onto the island. Critical oxygen supplies and other medical aid were airdropped at nearly the same time, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in an official statement.
The team touched down on the golf course, while locals were praised for “pulling out all the stops at short notice” to receive them. Officials confirmed 3.3 tonnes of medical supplies were also delivered to the hospital. The MoD called it an unprecedented humanitarian mission - the first time UK military medics have parachuted in for emergency support.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper praised the "extraordinary operation," saying it shows Britain's commitment to its overseas territories and citizens abroad. "I am deeply grateful to the @16AirAssltBCT in getting urgent medical support to Tristan da Cunha. This extraordinary operation reflects our unwavering commitment to the people of our Overseas Territories and British nationals, wherever they are," she wrote.
The emergency response follows a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius. A month after the first death, the ship docked in Tenerife to repatriate 100+ passengers. So far, three people have died in the outbreak, of which two were confirmed hantavirus cases. Six infections are confirmed and two suspected cases remain under investigation.
Hantavirus is a family of rodent-borne viruses. While it doesn't spread between humans, the Andes strain identified in passengers is known to transmit person-to-person.
